


A Dual Incandescence

by consecrated



Series: Rebuilding [3]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Connor Deserves Happiness, Established Relationship, Family, Fluff, Gavin Reed Redemption, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-08 04:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15923078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/consecrated/pseuds/consecrated
Summary: Over a month has passed since Gavin Reed found Connor breaking down in more ways than one. The two began a journey of self discovery together, and now changes in their lives have brought them closer and their relationship to a level neither expected possible.With Connor leaving the DPD to find a sense of identity outside his former duties under Cyberlife's control, Gavin must reconcile his fears of loss and abandonment. Learning to accept this new relationship into their lives, the duo must continue their path of learning and understanding to let the bright light between them shine freely.(Sequel toA Scratched CDandA Faulty Code. I'd tentatively say it can be read without the previous fics as most events will be touched upon, but I'd recommend at least one of them to fully grasp how they've gotten to this point.)





	1. Together

It was Thursday, March third, 2038.

Gavin Reed hated Thursdays. Friday meant the weekend and Wednesday was the middle, but Thursday sat at an awkward place not quite at the end and not quite good, but not Monday and not as acceptable to hate which made Gavin hate it even more. Generally, Gavin hated early mornings as well, but not this one.

His space was usually empty. The places that he lived were barren with little decor or furniture outside of an old couch, his desk, and his bed, and of beating hearts or stirring breaths? It’d always just been him. Himself and his space. Until now the only sounds in his apartment were the soft humming of electrical devices, his ceiling fan, microwave, TV, computer, and Gavin would lay in bed and listen to them amongst the usual bump and creak of an old building.

Now there was a second beating heart, not thumping like his own, but in the way that electricity flowed through the veins of his home.

It was the first time Connor had ever stepped foot into Gavin Reed’s apartment, his space. The shorter of the two stared up at him at the doorway and welcomed him inside.

“Are you nervous?” Connor asked quietly as he made his way through the small living room. He had with him a plastic grocery bag, and set it on the floor after seating himself on the left side of Gavin’s couch.

The morning fog clouding his brain hadn’t yet fully dissipated and the sight of Connor sitting where he himself had spent so much of his time alone felt almost unbearably surreal and yet it was the most wonderful kind of unbearable. Gavin wished he were more poetic so he could put words to exactly how it felt, but all he knew was that looking at Connor in his living room was strange and difficult and through the grogginess of 8am's stupor, he felt it was the best thing that had ever happened to him.

“I should be asking you that. It’s your last day.”

“I meant about me being here, in your apartment.” Connor’s gaze turned to him, “And about my leaving the DPD, I don’t want you to worry.”

“I’m not.”

Gavin was terrified of Connor leaving. And despite everything in him that basked under the weight of Connor’s presence, he was also terrified of Connor being there, with him. Each fear was a step that needed to be taken though, Gavin needed to let the android into his home and the android needed to find his own life outside of what Cyberlife demanded of him. They were steps that they would take together.

They couldn’t continue on like they had, these steps were towards change. Gavin’s anger and insecurities were destroying him, and all that he was or could be, slowly from the inside out. He knew that now. And despite how long and hard the road had been, it wasn’t over yet, not for either of them. 

“You are worried.” Connor murmured, “It’s alright, but I wish you wouldn’t.”

“I-- yeah, whatever.” He didn’t want to worry, he didn’t want to be scared. “Sorry for the… the mess.”

Gavin gestured around, as though he had spent the entirety of yesterday cleaning and tidying. It felt it could never be as pristine as Connor’s prim and proper presence, never ruffled or rumpled.

 _(False)_ He knew the android was capable of various states of dishevelment.

“I like it here. It’s not messy, it’s…” Connor paused, “minimalist, a little cold, but it--” He broke off with a smile.

“It?”

“It smells like you.”

“What do I smell like? Or is that another one of those things I don’t really wanna know.”

“I think there’s a lot you won’t allow yourself to want to know.” Connor’s smile remained strong, and caught Gavin’s sleeve to pull him down on the couch beside him. Gavin landed with a huff, frowning at the cheeky android but he couldn’t help but laugh brightly at how human and happy Connor looked.

“So what do I smell like then, asshole?” He quipped lightheartedly.

“Primarily, clementines. You eat them often, and I assume you must have many stored in your kitchenette. There are fainter hints of your favourite cologne and antiperspirant, leather, and natural musk.” Connor answered quietly, analytical eyes still taking in his surroundings, “Like with taste, my sense of smell isn’t as organic and, ah, _personal_ as with humans. Generally I process the data from my olfactory sensors clinically and file accordingly, but with yours… it’s familiar and, I suppose, comforting. Unique in how I experience it.”

“Are you flirting with me?”

“Would you like me to?” Connor winked back at him, but his expression sobered and he added, “It _would_ benefit you to pick up some decorations and perhaps some more furniture, your mental health will appreciate a more comfortable and personalized environment.”

The android had a point, though Gavin wasn’t quite willing to admit it. He’d never been one to fill his living space with sentimental clutter or aesthetics, not since he was a kid. Back then his walls had been filled with dinosaur posters and his shelves decorated with action figures and little league trophies.

“I dunno.” Gavin shrugged, “It’s not that I’m actually here often. I spend most of my time at work and most of my time _here_ asleep.”

“This should be a relaxing and comforting space then.” Connor replied, surveying the empty living room, devoid of anything other than a couple of years old boxes in the corner, the couch they sat on, and the modest TV on the wall. Gavin used the windowsill beside the couch as a table. A day old cup sat there now, missed in Gavin’s clumsy but determined cleaning.

As he went to grab the cup he again noticed the plastic bag at Connor’s foot, “What’s that?”

“Pardon?”

“The bag.”

“Ah, well. Hank asked me what I wanted to do this morning, my last morning before my last day at work. I decided I wanted to have panini with you again but then you invited me over to your home.” Connor lift the bag up, “So I bought you a panini press.”

“I-- you didn’t have to do that.”

“I did it for my sake, so I could honor my decision while also accepting your gracious and long awaited invitation.” Connor nodded to himself confidently, “And from the looks of things, your kitchenette could use some upgrading along with the rest of your apartment.”

“Hey--”

“Have you considered moving?”

“Connor, Jesus. I’ve been living here since I was a rookie, besides, this is the only place I can afford anywhere _close_ to being near the precinct.”

Connor opened his mouth, but closed it before any words came out. He seemed to be holding them back.

“What?” Gavin’s eyes narrowed.

“No, nothing.”

“Hey, don’t do that.”

“No, no, I realized what I was about to say would be impulsive and inappropriate at this time.” Connor shook his head slightly, “Don’t concern yourself.”

“Don’t fucking censor yourself, I wanna hear what you’ve gotta say.”

Connor glanced fondly at him, “I’m still learning, Gavin. There will be times when I have to take a moment and reassess.”

“Reassess what?”

“How I’m feeling, what I want. I have to reassess motivations and practicality. You understand, right?”

Gavin frowned, chewing on his inner cheek. He didn’t like when Connor spoke so bluntly with such honest words and yet still sounded so cryptic. Gavin _didn’t_ understand. The android was capable of such sincerity and yet would hold back what that he was thinking and wanting.

“Time, Gavin.” Connor spoke into the silence, “It’s all about time. Patience. Hope.”

“Don’t get gushy.”

“Don’t get withdrawn.” Connor countered, with a slight smile, “Just trust me.”

“Alright. Only if you leave my apartment alone.”

“I cannot promise that. Perhaps I could help you look for--”

“We’re _not_ going decor or furniture shopping.” Together, like a couple of newlyweds.

“Keep an open mind to it. I truly believe that filling up some of this empty space would benefit you.” Connor finally relented, and reached down for the grocery bag.

Gavin watched his nimble fingers unwrap the rumpled plastic from around a parcel, pulling it up from the bag and setting it on his lap. One hand rose to pull his tie clip from his dress shirt and use it to slice the thin packing tape over the top and flipped open the lid to reveal a sleek black panini press.

“How much was it?” Gavin asked, lifting it from the box.

“Inconsequential.” Connor replied, standing with the empty packaging, folding edges of the box to collapse it, and followed Gavin toward the kitchenette, “Where do you keep your recycling?”

“I uh, the garbage can is under the sink.”

The android fit him with a cross look, “You don’t recycle?”

“Never really bothered-- don’t look at me like that, I care about the environment and all but--”

“It’s your civic responsibility, especially in this day and age. Your building has a recycling bin out front, simply get a second garbage can to keep alongside the first under the sink.” Connor opened the cupboard and set the collapsed box beside the garbage with an exaggerated motion, “That’ll be your homework, and I’ll be checking the next time I visit.”

“What, you think I’ll let you back here after you come into my home and roast me with your burning critiques?” Gavin grinned, despite his words already excited for next time. The thought of Connor coming over becoming normal, routine, was terrifying and exhilarating.

He’d forgotten how much newness there was in the world. Connor brought out the excitement again in being alive, the thrill of stepping into unknown waters when the world was so vaste.

It had only been less than a week since Gavin allowed himself to break out of the oppressive walls he’d built around himself and reach out to Connor, to kiss Connor. It hadn’t been easy. In fact, the time that led up to that kiss was the most difficult fight Gavin had ever fought. The war with himself and how he’d lived his life was brutal and bloody and it left any type of stability in shambles, and it was the best decision he’d ever made in his life.

Gavin knew Connor understood what it was like, to look at yourself and realize ‘this isn’t who I am, this isn’t who I want to be’.

As the android set upon getting the panini press up and working, Gavin opened up the fridge and began pulling out some lettuce, eggs, ham, and other condiments and ingredients.

“Too bad you can’t eat.” Gavin muttered, setting his armful onto the counter beside the android currently interfacing with the panini press.

“It is unfortunate I can’t join you, though even if capable of it, I likely wouldn’t derive the same pleasure and satisfaction.”

Gavin would have thought that nothing could pleasure an android, until he’d held Connor in his arms and listened to his words of wanting as they kissed in the alley beside the bar like so many others had probably done before them, couples wandering out when there wasn’t room to fool around in the bathrooms.

Couple, two, partnership, relationship, romance, the words were flying around his mind at the thought. Gavin wasn’t quite ready to use definitions for Connor and himself, what was happening or what they had or what they were could only remain unspecific for so long but until the day came when he’d have to look this relationship in the eye, he would be content with the vague nebulous joy of the androids company.

Gavin wanted Connor, that was certain. He knew this, could think the words without nausea, could honour the feelings of desire. That drive was what initiated his journey to finding a better, safer, kinder sense of self -- not his only motivation, but still what spurred him on, the sharp edges of truth digging into him and forcing him to move forward from the dreary mundanity life had been.

Gavin had been tired of self hatred, the anger, the bitterness, tired of being tired all the time because he denied his dreams.

He could let go of the hate. His hands were weary from holding onto it for so long.

 

* * *

 

Connor had long finished optimizing the panini press and had now moved to help Gavin prepare the ingredients, washing the lettuce while Gavin cut a few slices off an already halved tomato he’d apparently had wrapped up in the fridge.

It felt peculiar to stand in Gavin’s apartment, in his kitchenette cooking with him. Good, in a long awaited way.

Something had been building inside him, a growing feel or a code or a concept. Connor couldn’t define exactly what it was, only that it was huge and bright and important. Beyond that he was lost, which was frustrating for someone who was so used to being able to know anything he wanted to.

He had access infinite knowledge and yet here, he was clueless. Like a child. Like the deluded deviant desperately searching for Jericho.

“Do you cook often? For Hank?”

The question took him off guard, but he replied smoothly, “The Lieutenant much prefers the indulgence of fast food, but I’ve tried to stave off his oncoming blood pressure and cholesterol related heart attack.”

“That’s nice, I never did anything like that for _my_ dad.”

Connor wanted to ask ‘why not’, and enquire into his relationship with his father, but held back lest he cross a boundary and push Gavin too far.

Instead, he switched his vocalization unit over to his second reactionary thought, confusion over the complexities of human interpersonal relationships.

Turning to pull a nearby frying pan off a hook near the stove, Connor said, “While we do share a sort of familial bond, I’ve never understood the implication that Hank is my father. Androids don’t have kin.” He accepted the bottle of oil Gavin passed him to ready it to fry the egg, remembering the contents of breakfast sandwich Gavin had ordered a couple weeks ago.

“But you still see him as family, right? If he’s a father figure, then he might as well be your father. Semantics don’t really matter when it comes to like… defining relationships.”

“But I am an android. I cannot have a father, I was designed and built, not born.”

“What, Hank never had this conversation with you?” Gavin blinked, “Family is more than blood. Your closer to Hank than I am to any of my blood relatives.”

 _(Why not?)_ Because of some level of childhood neglect, perhaps also homophobia, or even just because of the man’s caustic personality driving a wedge between him and his family, there were many reasons it could be and Connor was smart enough to be able to discern them but he wanted to hear it from _Gavin_. He wanted to understand what family meant, what it meant to have them or lose them and he wanted to hear it from Gavin.

Again though, he held back. There had been a time when Connor would push the man as much as he could to open up, as much as he could without driving him away. Now though, it somehow felt like more was at stake.

Perhaps it was a petty or unreasonable feeling, but the risk was too great to deprioritize it just yet.

“More than blood…” Connor spoke quietly, still watching him.

“Yeah. Figuratively, I mean. Family is more than who gave birth to who and who’s genetically related and shit. It’s who you like being around and where you feel… I dunno…”

“Safe, comfortable?” Connor murmured, cracking an egg over the side of the pan as the yolk and white slid out into a perfect popping and crackling circle on the heated surface.

“Y-Yeah.” Gavin glanced away, finishing cutting the last slice of ham.

After the egg had finished frying and the vegetables and sliced ham were prepared, Connor opened the panini press with a plume of steam and deftly prepared the bread with mayonnaise. He was proud to note it was a low fat sugar free brand made with olive oil.

He left Gavin to assemble the sandwich as to his preference, washing some of the mayo off his hands in the sink. Connor found he enjoyed watching Gavin work, if clumsily as he’d clearly not used a panini press before. It was endearing.

“Listen,” Gavin suddenly spoke up, voice faltering slightly, “I know we’ve talked about what happened earlier this week, and I know we agreed this is some kinda good thing, but you’re still feeling alright about whatever this is, right?”

Connor again hadn’t been prepared for the question, though he should have been. It was remarkable that Gavin could still exceed Connor’s social module, perhaps corrupted in someway by the android’s feelings towards the man.

_(It’s not corruption, you know that. It’s that thing, that growing thing.)_

“Yes.” He replied simply, because it was all he could say.

“A-Alright.” Gavin pressed the lid down carefully over the sandwich, “You’re sure?”

Connor nodded, “I am.”

“So it wouldn’t be weird if I, like right now, uh, kissed you?”

“Do you want to?” He cocked his head slightly, noting a slight temperature rise in his system and recording it in his logs.

“I- uh, yeah.” The man didn’t blush to his credit, though he look nervous and somewhat uncomfortable.

“I would find that-- acceptable.”

“Acceptable?”

“Apologies, ah, welcome? I would find that welcome?” Connor was going about this wrong, but he couldn’t seem to find the right response.

“You’re sure?”

Connor moved forward truly occupy Gavin’s space, so that their breaths mingled in between them, from lungs of flesh and lungs simulated. He waited until Gavin could meet his eyes before leaning forward enough so that their lips nearly met, but let the man make the final move to contact.

It was short, warm, a soft kiss with no urgency.

With a slow movement Gavin drew back and looked up at the android, paused, then kissed him again, slightly deeper.

It was still languid and sweet, sweeter than Connor thought possible coming from lips attached to someone like Gavin Reed. The kiss felt far different from the one they shared at the bar, without the wild frenzy of broken sexual tension. It felt more like the embrace they shared later, holding each other with Gavin’s hand intertwined with that of the white revealed polymer chassis of Connor’s. Both were equally enjoyable, more than he had expected, but enjoyable in very different ways.

Gavin’s lips parted slightly, only to whisper, “You’re leaving.”

The android brought his hands up to frame Gavin’s face, as if he could interface with him and show him how much faith Connor had in them. He broke the kiss, replying, “It’ll be ok, Gavin. I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took far longer than expected to publish so apologies for that, personal life has it's way of delaying things.


	2. With

Connor liked watching humans eat.

It was fascinating, everything about it. The motion of bringing their hand up to their mouth, the look in their eyes when they were focused on eating, the clenching and unclenching of their jaw as they chewed, the bob of their throat when swallowing, and with Gavin the fascination was heightened by the building emotions that seemed to intensify anything Connor felt about the man.

They had narrowly avoided burning the sandwich in their distracted kissing, not that Gavin seemed to mind.

Memory still sweet with the feeling of lips against his, Connor found himself smiling. There was still an underlying anxiety that had been following him all morning despite his faith in his decision to leave the DPD so it was nice for a soft and warm reprieve. He never thought he’d find so much comfort in touch, considering it such a uniquely human experience. An android’s body and it’s sensory perception were so different from a human’s in how they worked despite all the effort that had gone into mirroring their organic counterpart, and yet in Connor’s own way he knew that his reactions to physical contact with Gavin was very human and based in emotion and bonding.

The first time Connor experienced something like it was the hug he shared with Hank the morning after the revolution, very different but still his first time finding solace in the touch of a human.

There was a lot to learn about emotions and deviancy and the prospect was daunting but Connor was ready for lessons like this, lessons in intimacy and affection. This was what helped make the pain and confusion worthwhile. A machine couldn’t revel in the ghost of lips upon it’s own. Connor could though.

He was alive and could feel the warmth in his chest and the tingling on his skin.

Gavin ate with his eyes on the android, sitting close next to him on the couch. They’d been speaking amicably, making short conversation while the human glanced to and fro from Connor to the clock on the stove in the kitchenette as the minutes passed.

The android’s own internal clock was counting down until the time came to leave for work, his last shift at the police department. His last shift with Gavin.

“So, are _you_ nervous? About leavin’?” The man mumbled around a mouthful of sandwich.

_(You’re scared, you’re unsure, it’s alright)_

There was a wildness about his state of mind, a primal and feral piece of himself that embodied the image of a deviant android that the public had come to fear before and after the revolution, if only because the uncontrollable and untamed nature was a direct mirror of humanity. The parts of being human that was kept buried deep under social obligations and constructed routines, the truth that humans were sophisticated animals that never fully domesticated themselves.

Connor found that the more he looked inward and accepted the chaotic strangeness of deviancy and living, the more he understood the people he shared this world with, this life.

Especially this human, sitting at his side with his sharp grey eyes gentle.

“I feel… free.” Connor murmured, “And I feel vulnerable.”

A prey animal out from the cover of it’s den, the safety of it’s nest. The DPD had been more of a cage than safety but it had still been cover and control rather than the uncertain terms of freedom.

“If there’s anything I can, uh, y’know, help with,” Gavin told him, picking at his sandwich, “jus’ lemme know ok? I wanna be-- be there. For you.”

“I appreciate that, Gavin.” The man was a welcome distraction from his worries, as well as a trusted support that Connor knew he could rely on. He’d proven himself over and over again: in the warehouse that fateful night when he obeyed the android’s order, each conversation they had leaving Connor feeling stronger, each kiss allowed between them.

“Just know that, right? You got Hank and you got me.”

“Thank you, Gavin.” It felt good to say his name. No Detective Reed, no obligations, no need for distance. The name Gavin sat comfortably in the metadata of the man’s file in Connor’s processor.

As Gavin finished the last of his panini and set the plate on the windowsill, the android leaned to the side slightly to press against him. The warmth had been inviting, the heated aura that surrounded the man and indicated his status as living, breathing, with blood pumping and heart beating.   
It was an action Connor wasn’t certain was allowed, at least without asking permission first, but Gavin didn’t shy away from the physical contact. Instead, he tentatively pressed into it. Connor could feel the hesitance and uncertainty in the human as well.

“Gavin--”

“It’s ok.” Gavin mumbled, and turned to face him without breaking the contact between them, shoulders leaned together and sides pressed tight. His hand rose to Connor’s face and carefully touched his jaw. “Why do androids blush blue? If it’s a humanizing thing, shouldn’t it be pink?”

He brushed his thumb across Connor’s cheekbone.

“It’s not… not designed, not intentional. Markus explained it to me, would you like to hear?”

“Yeah, I asked after all.”

“Well…” Connor began, gently grasping Gavin’s hand and pressing his fingertips against the slope of his temple, “It’s unintentional that it mimics a human blush, in fact it’s merely a malfunction stemming from the affects of our emotional deviancy on our LED indicators.” He slid Gavin’s finger down his temple from the aforementioned light, down to where his eye socket slopped into his cheekbone. “The wires and tubing here feed information about our emotional status via thirium to our LED, but in many models including the RK series, it is also connected to various damage indicator lights along facial plane 862C and it’s counterpart. When experiencing intense emotion, the surge in thirium passage through the face cause the blue tones of the lights and wires in the area to be seen through our synthetic skin, much like how the red warning lights can be seen under the skin in instances of structural fractures--broken bones.”

“So basically your deviancy makes it so your face is broken?”

“That’s not--” Connor laughed, moving the hand down to press his lips against it in a kiss, “Not quite. The synthetic skin of our faces is thinner than most areas of our body to allow for more complex movement of our facial panels underneath. The lights aren’t indicating damage, the increased thirium simply causes a slight overcharge resulting in the blue being seen from the chassis of my cheekbones through the skin.”

“Huh.” Gavin’s eyes roved over Connor’s face, and moved to kiss the heated blue. Three more kisses then his lips met Connor’s.

“You’re being awfully affectionate this morning. Is this your going away present?”

“If you-- if you enjoy it then it could be.” Gavin looked away, “Besides, you’re not leaving, right? You said so, you’re not going away.”

“I did, and I know.” Connor murmured, clasping his hands in his lap, “But I’m afraid it’s time to go.”

“Wh--”

“The clock, Gavin, it’s time to go to work.”

 

* * *

 

The android had become such a constant presence at work, easily one of the most productive and successful member of the DPD and being one of the faces of the revolution, also the most widely recognizable. People Gavin had barely ever spoken to, the janitor, the community relations officer, the HR coordinator, they all sought Connor out to say their goodbyes in the week leading up to that Thursday.

Gavin watched it all from the android’s side as Connor awkwardly replied with rehearsed lines and smiles to each one.

Gavin was still self conscious about being seen with him, of the gazes of his coworkers when he’d sidle up to Connor and murmur a rough goodmorning or have the android trail after him to the break room and together exchange brief smiles. According to Tina, Gavin’s attitude at work was softening and people were warming up to him but it still felt wrong for Sergeant Lewis to playfully nudge him after spotting Gavin chatting Connor up at his desk, or for Detective Collin’s to even just ask him about his day. Knowing people were watching him, wondering about his behaviour, it made Gavin uneasy but he was trying to work through it.

There was nothing wrong with this, with not people avoiding him, avoiding looking at him, avoiding his gaze. It shouldn’t bother him.

_(It does)_

The more he thought about it, the more he felt himself get defensive. Gavin almost wished Tina hadn’t said that, hadn’t brought to his attention that anything was different.

_(Change is good)_

Learning how to accept the calm and peace of Connor’s presence helped. It helped quell the instincts to react in hostility, to snap and tell people off. It was easier to want to change at least. That had to mean something. Gavin knew it had to, that maybe he was finally starting to figure his shit out. It still wasn’t easy but it was something.

“I could teach how to to optimize your coffee.” The android was saying, as Gavin grimaced into his mug.

It hurt to think of him leaving. Of not being able to come into work nearly every morning to see that face and hear that strange voice _(high and low, rough and soft)_. He knew deep down that nothing could stop him from continuing to see Connor outside of work but having taking for granted how much time they’d spent in each other’s presences, it didn’t feel like enough.

There was still so much to say to him, so much to do. How could there be enough time in the world? In his entire life? Connor was so inexperienced in real life and in living and there was so much Gavin wanted to show him. There was so much for Gavin himself to learn and discover and he wanted each second to be spent with Connor.

There was so much for Connor to teach him.

“Sure.” He swallowed down the last of his coffee, a little too sweet down his throat.

“It’s a date, then.”

A smile broke across Gavin’s face, “Yeah, whatever.”

“You seem distracted.”

“No fucking shit.” Gavin bit his tongue, “Sorry. You’re… you’re leaving-- the DPD. You’re not gonna be around here anymore.”

Connor nodded, “That is true.” He leaned forward from where he sat perched on the corner of Gavin’s desk. His heavy lashes lowered as he spoke now with sadness, “I confess I will miss the consistency of our companionship.”

“You promised we could keep hanging out.” Gavin muttered plaintively.

The android smiled with the corner of his mouth, softly, “I did. I intend to keep it. Things will still--”

_(Change)_

“I know.”

“It’ll be ok, Gavin.”

“I know.” He never liked uncertainty. Gavin liked to know where he stood and what would happen, it was why things had stayed the same for so long. It was why it was so difficult to change the way he lived his life, he just hated change.

He had to remind himself that these changes came with good things, for lack of a better word in the moment, staring at Connor, healing things.

“Markus is holding a small celebration at the Jericho headquarters this evening for my resignation, you’re welcome to come as my plus one.”

Gavin blinked at him, “Wh- what? Are humans even allowed there? D-Does Markus know about me? Do you talk about me to him?”

Connor let out a sharp laugh, eyes crinkling, “Calm down, yes humans are allowed. Hank may even be going, though he doesn’t like Markus much. And yes, I’ve spoken of you with him before.”

“I--” Gavin was still reeling a little. The idea of the leader of the android revolution knowing him was surreal. It was hard enough to remember Connor himself was considered a face of the revolution, though he’d been getting plenty of reminders lately.

Just the fact that the android messiah himself was hosting a party in Connor’s honour, taking place in the heart of Jericho, was enough to solidify his importance.

“So will you come?” Connor pushed, eyes bright with hope. Gavin could never say no to that expression.

“Uh, sure.” He muttered, “Is it like, black tie? How formal is it? How many people?”

“No, no, it’s a casual celebration. Just a few of Markus’ inner circle and whoever I wish to invite.”

“Right. Ok.”

He couldn’t imagine how officers of the DPD who’d aided in the hunt against the deviant androids could be welcome, then again, Connor himself had been heralded the Deviant Hunter. Times had changed.

“Hard at work or hardly working?” Chris joked as he passed, grinning at him and Connor, “Fowler wants the Patchwork report emailed to him asap.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m working on it.” Gavin shot back, glancing at his terminal screen where the report remained half finished and untouched for the last ten minutes.

“I’m disrupting your work.” Connor hummed, “I should get back to finishing my own. There’s some loose ends to tie up before I leave this evening.”

“There’s plenty of time. I can multitask.”

Connor ignored him, but gave a quick smile before hopping off the desk and letting his hand brush by Gavin’s shoulder before he made his departure.

Gavin watched him go, eyes straying to the android’s behind where it strained against the fabric of his dress pants.

Jumping at the nudge against his shoulder, he directed a glare towards whoever had interrupted him.

Chris gave a pacifying grin, “Easy.” His voice dropped an octave and he whispered conspiratorially, “Tina’s got a cake in the breakroom. You think you could get Connor in there in about ten minutes?”

“He can’t eat cake.” Gavin muttered, “Why a cake?”

Chris shrugged, “It was her idea. She said she was sure Connor would still like it.”

Gavin clicked his teeth and rolled his eyes, “Alright, alright.”

“Ten minutes, bro.”

“Alright.”

With that, Chris wandered off and Gavin was left to stare at his screen blankly.

The prospect of cake _was_ pretty appetizing, he hadn’t had any sweet desserts in awhile.

Ten minutes of tapping reluctantly at at the keyboard and poking at the touch screen, with brief glances across the office to check that Connor still sat at his desk, passed slowly. The clock at the top corner of his terminal felt like it was lagging the longer he looked at it.

When Tina poked her head out from behind the break room wall, Gavin slowly rose from his chair and made his way over to where Connor diligently worked at his terminal.

“Gotta get another coffee, come help me?” Gavin stated simply, watching Connor’s LED spin yellow at the sound of his voice.

“It has only been eleven minutes and twenty two seconds, surely you have not made any significant progress on your report.”

“Won’t be able to unless I have coffee. You said you’d start teachin’ me how to make it better.”

“Now perhaps isn’t the time?”

“Aw, c’mon.” He pouted, “You’re really gonna make me drink shit coffee? Guess I’ll just have to dump like six spoons of sugar in it, maybe some heavy creamer…”

“Alright.” Connor conceded, pressing his thumb against the terminal as the screen blinked to the log-out page.

The android stood fluidly and gave Gavin an exasperated look before hooking his arm around his.

Hank was noticeably missing from his desk, presumably already in the breakroom with Tina. The man liked cake just as much if not more than Gavin, recalling Sergeant McDonald’s retirement party where Hank surreptitiously took a third helping.

As they neared the breakroom, even Gavin heard badly concealed whispers. Connor’s face grew yet more exasperated, as he shook his head with a small smile.

“Surprise!” Tina shouted as they entered, flocked by several of the other higher ranking officers, Hank, Chris, Ben, even Sergeant Lewis and Captian Fowler stood by.

On the table sat a large cake, on which Gavin could read frosting writing that said, ‘ _You can’t eat cake but Hank and Gavin can’_

“You’re happy when they’re happy, so I figure this would have to do. Don’t worry, I made it myself. Low fat, gluten free.” 

“Thank you Tina, it’s lovely.” Connor’s smile broadened, “You did a remarkable job.”

“You’re probably gonna become president or something so I figure I ought get in brownie points now. Who knows what wild shit you’re gonna get up to out there in the real world.” She beamed, “Take care of yourself, kid.”

“That’s my line.” Hank interrupted.

“You’ll get to see him all the time, papa bear. Let me have my moment.”

All eyes turned to Connor as he approached the table and swiped a finger across the corner of the cake, taking a dab of icing and pressing it into his mouth.

“Thought you couldn’t eat?” Ben Collins frowned.

“I’m simply sampling it.” Connor said, licking the last traces from his finger, “I don’t eat the evidence I sample at crime scenes, I just give it a taste.” He winked.

“How’s it taste?” Tina asked, walking up to grab the knife sitting beside the cake tray.

“My data is saying, sweet, creamy. High quality ingredients.”

“Stellar praise coming from an android.”

Fowler added, “The most sophisticated android to walk the earth, and the DPDs finest.”

“Former finest.” Tina sank the knife into the cake and cut a sizable piece, plopping it on a paper plate and handing it and a plastic fork to Hank who had begun shadowing her. “So what’re your plans for your newfound freedom? What’ll you do for your first day as another one of Detroit’s unemployed?”

“Probably clean my goddamn house. That’s all this asshole seems to do on his days off.” Hank grunted, mouth already full.

“This evening I am attending a celebration at Jericho, Markus and I have brainstormed various ways I could contribute to Jericho until I get my feet under me, so to speak.”

“So you think you’ll be talking about your plans tonight?” Tina sliced into the cake and offered it to Gavin, who was grateful for the excuse to return to Connor’s side.

“Perhaps.”

The rest of the officers lined up to receive a portion, making idle chatter with Connor and Hank. Fowler clapped the android on the shoulder and offered his blessing before exiting the break room and heading back to his office.

The cake was moist and sweet, fluffy, tasting of vanilla and cream. Gavin ate slowly, listening to the conversations breaking out around him. This was a moment to take in unhurriedly, no need to rush through just to get to the next. Connor was leaving, not him, but this place and this stage of life. Gavin needed to sit back and let it happen.

Fear tainted the taste of the cake, and curdling the warm feeling of being at Connor’s side. Tina continued dishing out servings to stray cops who wandered in for coffee, while Gavin and Connor sat at the table and listened to Hank and Ben argue over vanilla versus chocolate.

Away from prying eyes, Connor’s hand slipped into Gavin’s under the table. With the brush of the android’s thumb across his knuckles, he tried to focus on things sweet and soft rather than the bitter chill of foreboding shivering through him.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Upload schedule will be a little wonky for the next while. I could try to use school as an excuse but I'm a dropout lmao 
> 
> but good luck to everyone starting their school year!


End file.
